SPRING ’11

Holding an invasion at bay Multi-front ‘war’ aims to stop invasive species spread

Head to the invasion front of one of the “The scope is monumental,” John Goss, the Asian country’s most heavily publicized battles, and you’ll find director at the White House Council for Environmental seasoned fishermen, muscles honed from long days hauling Quality said of the Corps study. “It will change the ballgame net-loads of massive, wriggling Asian carp. in invasive species management and will make a huge differ- For much of the coming month, government-funded crews ence for the whole country. And a lot is riding on it.” will be hauling the voracious eaters, several tons at a time, On the front lines with the goal of clearing as many as possible from the Illinois One of the more visible study leaders is Dave Wethington, River, and as quickly as they can, before the can spawn. the project manager for the Corps’ Great Lakes and Missis- Our Mississippi Nearby are the scientists. On any given day, biologists like Kelly sippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS). He’s spent the last is a quarterly Baerwaldt of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can be found three months traveling the Midwest with other Corps lead- newsletter of the U.S. Army Corps of implanting the invasive silver and bighead carp with special track- ers and “Carp Czar” Goss, soliciting public ideas for halting Engineers about its work ing devices to monitor their movements or sampling the water an epidemic of aquatic invasive species. in the Upper Mississippi column to see if their DNA has spread to new locations. In all, he and others visited 12 cities and heard from some River Basin. It is published in cooperation with other In all, the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee has 180 speakers, collecting the thoughts of many others on state and federal agencies initiated some 45 projects funded with more than $50 million study websites and social media outlets. What did they hear? and other river interests in federal resources. The intent is to halt the potential spread of “A big call for action,” Wethington said. with whom the Corps collaborates and partners these two species of Asian carp from the Mississippi and Illinois Over the years, more than 180 invasive species have been toward long-term sustain- Rivers before they can reach the Great Lakes and potentially introduced into the Great Lakes, mostly through the ballast ability of the economic destroy the prized fishery. Nearly $50 million more is budgeted water of ocean-going ships. Dozens of those, including the sea uses and ecological integrity of the river system. for the coming year. lamprey and the zebra and quagga , have subsequently At the same time, the Corps is moving forward with a spread into the river system and beyond, crowding out native groundbreaking study designed to find a permanent solution. fish, clogging water intake structures and causing untold The study’s goal is to stop not just Asian carp—but dozens of damages. Some estimates put the economic cost to the country other invasive fish, algae, water fleas, snails and more—from of all invasive species at over $120 billion a year.

o : jason lindse y. spreading into one basin or the other and wreaking potential The most unusual and exciting part of GLMRIS is its po- t

ho environmental and economic havoc. tential, Wethington said. p Continued on page 2 >>

Countdown to rebuilding New Orleans, Page 6 “You’re looking at direction from Congress to address not just a single species but all aquatic nuisance species and to prevent their establishment,” he said. “In theory, we could be prevent- Risky River Invader Latin name Method of spread ing the next zebra .” Scud Apocorophium lacustre ballast water/sediment The study’s initial phase focuses on the current battle hot spot, the Chicago Sanitary and Invasives Skipjack herring Alosa chrysochloris swimmer Ship Canal. More than a century ago, the canal created a link between the lake and river basins Silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix swimmer as a way to reverse the flow of the Chicago River and keep waste from flowing into Lake Michigan. There are some potentially dev- Bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis swimmer It’s through that link that many invasives have spread and where the Corps has now placed a astating troublemakers knock- Inland silverside Menidia beryllina swimmer ing at the door of the Mississippi Black carp Mylopharyngodon piceus swimmer The Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee is going to River—29 to be specific. Dotted duckweed Landoltia/Spirodela punctata rec. boating/trailers war against what John Goss calls “one crazy species of fish.” A list of 38 invasive species that Marsh dewflower Murdannia keisak rec. boating/trailers are established in either the Great Cuban bulrush Oxycaryum cubense rec. boating/trailers series of electric barriers to prevent further spread of invasive fish. A concurrent GLMRIS Lakes or the Mississippi River, but project focuses on the closing of potential basin connections over some 1,500 river miles. not in the other, have been narrowed Mississippi River to Great Lakes The team will review public comments as a way to further refine the scope of the $25 million from an initial list of more than 250 study, slated to run through 2015 and touch a portion of 31 states. In the meantime, the Asian through the Great Lakes and Missis-

. Risk of Spread Carp Regional Coordinating Committee is going to war against what Goss calls “one crazy spe- sippi River Interbasin Study (GLM- cies of fish.” RIS). The next study step is a hunt Great Lakes to Mississippi River Scientists are studying potential biological and genetic controls that include interference for potential solutions to stop their with the digestive or reproductive systems. Selectively toxic chemicals are being explored as are spread. Invader Latin name Method of spread river blockage tools like hydrocannons or so called “disco barriers” of noise, lights and bubbles. While Asian carp pose the highest Red macro-algae Bangia atropupurea ballast/rec. boating Much of that research is being conducted at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Columbia Environ- imminent risk, they’re not the end Algae Cyclotella cryptica unknown/any water mental Research Center in Missouri, the home base of one of the country’s pre-eminent Asian of the invasive species story, says Algae Cyclotella pseudostelligera unknown/any water carp specialists, Duane Chapman. Chapman sees potential in much of the work, even though Dr. Reuben Keller, a lecturer at the Grass kelp Enteromorpha flexuosa ballast/rec. boating

v iaions W ikimedia commons University of Chicago’s Department Diatom ballast water

the fish continue to grow and reproduce at alarming rates. t Stephanodiscus binderanus

“When it comes down to it, we’re smarter than fish,” he said. “Some things are really difficult to ra of Environmental Studies and author Tubificid worm Branchuris sowerbyi sediment transport t control regardless of how smart you are… We’ll be stuck with zebra mussels for a long time. The of a book on invasive species bio- Bryozoans Lophopodella carteri aquatic plants Top, left to right: Project managers Mike Saffran, Dave carp are a more advanced organism in terms of behavior. They have Achilles heels we can exploit.” economics. Parasitic copepod Neoergasilus japonicus parasite to fish Wethington and Col. Vincent Quarles take notes during a public Commercial fishermen bring the weapon of mass consumption to the attack. It’s hoped Among the most worrisome are Spiny waterflea Bythotrephes longimanus transport hearing in Traverse City, Mich., for the Great Lakes and Mississippi that establishing incentive for people to catch, and eat, the fish will reduce pressure the Great floaters like the water chestnut or Fish-hook water flea Cercopagis pengoi ballast/rec. boating

River Interbasin Study. More than 100 people attended this one Lakes and the more northern reaches of the Mississippi. Carp are not yet established north of cow and illus y. fishhook waterflea, both carried Water flea Daphnia galeata galeata ballast water

of 12 public meetings held throughout the study region. Bottom: Lock and Dam 19 near Keokuk, Iowa, says Rob Maher, commercial fishing project manager for anc from Eurasia in the ballast water European amphipod Echinogammarus ischnus ballast water Kelly Baerwaldt, a research biologist with the U.S. Army Corps of the state of Illinois, and more commercial fishing of carp could also keep the more northern of ships. Such species are likely to Bloody red shrimp Hemimysis anomala ballast water Engineers, holds a silver carp caught during monitoring. reaches of the Mississippi from becoming overrun. drift right past the electric barri- Copepod Schizopera borutzkyi ballast water Meanwhile, Corps biologists are working the invasion’s leading edge. Biologist Baerwaldt is ers that have so far done a good Blueback herring Alosa aestivalis swimmer

the monitoring team leader of the National Regional Asian Carp Monitoring and Rapid Re- t ure conser v job at holding invasive fish at bay. Alewife Alosa psuedoharengus swimmer sponse Work Group. For her, the work has been an interesting ride, from an appearance on the Others like the water chestnut Northern snakehead Channa argus swimmer National Geographic Channel’s Monster Fish, to a cheekbone fracture from a leaping silver carp. he na could potentially “short circuit” Threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus swimmer Even more interesting, she says, has been the work itself. the river ecosystem by preventing Ruffe Gymnochephalus cernnus swimmer Follow the progress As the leader of the carp telemetry project, she implants the fish with a tracking system that z ing : t light from getting into the water Sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus swimmer

through the study monitors their progress toward the Great Lakes, a project for which they’re now upgrading . gra column; they’ve wreaked havoc in Tubenose goby Proterorhinus marmoratus swimmer website, glmris.anl.gov, receivers to the best of their kind in the world. The team’s also turning to the Corps’ Engineer similarly temperate systems like the European pea clam Pisidium amnicum ballast water or via Facebook.com/ Research and Development Center to further refine the use of environmental or DNA to deter- Hudson River. Likewise, the bloody New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum ballast water glmris or Twitter@ mine the presence of carp in the water system and better check their advance. red shrimp, also now in the Great European fingernail clam Sphaerium corneum ballast water GLMRIS. Also, find a “We’re using groundbreaking, innovative technology,” she said. “The barrier is the first of its Lakes, has devastated European European stream valvata Valvata piscinalis ships timely look at ongoing kind in the world in terms of magnitude. And GLMRIS continues to build on Corps efforts, rivers like the Mississippi. Swamp sedge Carex acutiformis rec. boating/trailers federal Asian carp looking to the future of aquatic invasive species control. This may offer the first chance in his- Reed sweetgrass Glyceria maxima rec. boating/trailers control efforts at tory to stop an invasive species—maybe many—before they spread.”—K.S. Water chestnut Trapa natans rec. boating/trailers

asiancarp.org. conference : kim schneider Testate amoebas Psammonobiotus spp. ballast water Illustrations not to scale. not to Illustrations

s invasive reed canary grass grows in one tall, wet and erosion, the original reason it was imported. But those roots unproductive blanket across the Swamp White Oak crowd out native species, a real problem in preserves like this Apreserve in eastern Iowa, Matt Fisher worries about one. Some 320 plant species have been documented here, with the higher quality habitat it’s pushing out. the sedge-dominated understory accented by plants like wild Just as people don’t like moving through the soggy mass, petunias and lilies. neither do the turtles, salamanders and rattlers that inhabit “In some places, there are acres and acres of it,” Fisher said the rare preserve. There’s less food, too, for regular visitors of the invasive grass. “Nothing uses it, very few things eat it, like the cerulean warblers, sandhill cranes and red-shouldered and it’s hard to walk through… It’s good for a couple of things, hawks. but it’s bad for everything else.” Left: Cattle graze a savanna Enter grazing, a concept that’s grown in popularity near the Cedar River in Could hungry cows be part of the solution? among land use experts who find it a more sustainable use for Muscatine County. The Nature Fisher, eastern Iowa director for The Nature Conservancy, floodplain land than row crops. Fisher’s working with a few Conservancy is looking to thinks it’s worth a try in the region’s Swamp White Oak pre- farmers to see how grazing might control the invasive grass, in bovines for help in eradicating serve. After all, if you think of the history of the Great Plains, combination with other eradication methods. invasive reed canary grass, a grazing was long a means of keeping balance. Bison and elk Goats have been used to control dogwoods and prickly ash, large, coarse grass that reaches once freely roamed areas like what’s now a 654-acre preserve but big grazers like cattle and bison are better fits for this, two to nine feet in height. This in the Cedar River valley. particularly early in the growing season when it’s tender (and grass reproduces by seed or Even wildfires and grasshopper epidemics helped keep tasty) and hasn’t yet become a solid stand. creeping rhizomes, spreads plant communities in balance until population growth altered “If we can use grazing as a way to beat that grass down, treat aggressively and over time the natural cycle. The situation worsened when the prolific it with herbicide and bring in native plants to help compete, forms large monotypic stands reed canary grass came on the scene. The deep roots and fast over time, we may win that way. To date it’s just my working Can invasive grasses be grazed away? of little use to wildlife. growth of this cool-season grass make it good for stopping hypothesis.”—K.S.

2 ourmississippi.org 3 Chefs battle The Corps’ secret weapon: its army of volunteers Bob Morris spends his days as tour guide, wildlife - John and Sandy Hillmer carp with tographer, historian and host—in other words, a Mississippi Campground host, Cross Lake Recreation Area, Minn. River volunteer. Best advice to volunteers: “You have to be able to talk The retired U.S. Air Force colonel is among the thousands to people and not be embarrassed or afraid and be able the fork Bob Morris of volunteers who work along the Mississippi River and its to take on odd questions and just work with them.” tributaries, helping to keep the river clean, setting up eagle Favorite wildlife moment: The mother deer and cams, teaching water safety, leading tours, handling camping twin fawns that lived on their campsite one summer. emergencies and much more. “Don’t underestimate the power of Bonuses come regularly, usually in the form of some great wildlife spotting. Jerry Goran cooking.” That’s the message shared by a Baton Rouge In Morris’s case, perks also include the chance to meet visitors from around the Clean-up volunteer, Fountain City, Wisc. chef recently to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers panel solicit- world and share his contagious love for—and knowledge of—the mighty river. Pet peeve: Broken glass ing ideas on how to stop Asian carp from spreading from the He leads tours at the National Great Rivers Museum in Alton, Ill., and the Secret clean-up weapon: Rosco, a Springer Spaniel Mississippi River system into the Great Lakes. Melvin Price Locks and Dam. While explaining how the engineering marvel who pitches in to help with zebra mussel clean-up by “These fish are laughing at us,” Chef Philippe Parola said in a is used for both barges and flood control, he may also share the typical meal diving for river clams and fetching them for Goran, New Orleans hearing. “But not for long because the skillet is eaten on a barge on a Saturday night or the wing span of a pelican. who cleans them of invasive mussels then tosses ready, I guarantee.” The engaging volunteer has learned plenty since the museum opened in 2003, them back. The “invasivore” movement is striking a chord nationally both by studying the river history and picking up fascinating trivia from visitors as environmentalists and business people alike seek ways to like the 80-year-old towboat captain he took on a recent tour, or the couple fresh Jeanne and Bob Duncanson eat away the problem of invasive species, creating both a new Eagle’s nest trackers between Red Wing, Minn. and health food source and potential jobs along the way. In 2010, nearly 10,000 volunteers logged 186,352 Prairie du Chien, Wisc. Taking a page from Parola’s playbook, a Milwaukee chef has work hours throughout the Mississippi Valley What they’ve learned on the job: It’s so much fun added an invasivore night to his regular tapas menu, featur- to watch eagles carry twigs and weave them into ing delicacies like carp cakes, smoked carp steak and carp Division of the Corps, an estimated $3.8 million in a nest. They also are in couples, male and female, napoleon. A Rockford physician’s taking scraps from fish fi- work value to the nation. always and forever until one of them dies. lets being sent to China and creating a new powdered protein supplement. And an article in Middlebury College’s quarterly off oil spill cleanup duty in Louisiana. With everyone, he loves sharing his personal magazine recently highlighted Chef Richard O’Donohue’s passion for the river—both through one-on-one interaction and through his do- Stan Bousson “kitchen with a cause.” nated nature photography on display throughout the museum. Volunteer photographer, Moline, Ill. The Michigan-born chef has served some 800 pounds of “My role is to give people an appreciation of the river, an appreciation for Volunteer claim to fame: He set up three new web- “Rock Island sole” (a reference to the Illinois city near where the the environment and also an appreciation for the people who help support this cams at Lock and Dam 13 so wildlife enthusiasts can fish were caught) in navigation system,” he said. “There is also a great heritage of the Mississippi, watch eagles on their nests or spot migrating pelicans Indian dishes or a “I don’t have a Ph.D., but I and it is always changing.” coming up river. sumriver.org/webcam.html favorite , feta can guarantee one thing: For agencies like the Corps, volunteers are a godsend, says Deb Griffith, head host and carp casserole. I know food. I know food ranger at the Cross Lake Recreation Area, located in an idyllic northern Min- Students were nesota setting alongside one of the river’s first dam and reservoir structures. Stan Bousson photographs eagles along the river near Moline. quoted as liking both marketing, and I know what They’re the face of the Corps, she says. They’re also some pretty cost-effective the taste—and the consumers want. My weapon hands. cause. In 2010, nearly 10,000 volunteers logged 186,352 work hours throughout But Parola doesn’t for this problem is a fork.” the Mississippi Valley Division of the Corps, an estimated $3.8 million in work think a feel-good —Chef Philippe Parola value to the nation. Thousands more slogged through forests with trash bags, campaign is needed GPS units or binoculars to clean up or track eagle nests or identify invasive spe- to restore the cies within the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. river’s natural balance. Once people have tasted the fish he’s Free camping’s a perk for some volunteers like Sandy and John Hillmer, who work redubbed silverfin—in cafeterias, on their home grills, or as as campground hosts at Cross Lake. In return, they help with after-hours emergen- Silverfin Steak & Fresh Berries Above: Chef Philippe Parola the pecan crusted, Cajun blackened and classic fishcake forms cies or field critical questions such as “where are the fish going to bite today?” SERVES 4 holds an Asian carp caught he has planned for grocery-sold frozen filets—he’s convinced Others, like Jerry Goran—2010 volunteer of the year for the Winona District of on an outing with commer- we’ll have another case of the redfish. That species was nearly the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge—are happy for the cial fishermen Rusty Kimble fished to extinction when Cajun chef Paul Prudhomme came compensation of some provided garbage bags. Those, Goren uses to clean sandbars (captain) and Preston Terrell up with a wildly popular recipe for blackened redfish. of glass, cans, towels, abandoned clothing, even make-shift toilets. This year, he’s (deckhand) in Simmesport, “I don’t have a Ph.D., but I can guarantee one thing: I know taking a GPS along to register coordinates of invasive plants like purple loosestrife, Louisiana. food. I know food marketing, and I know what consumers which are causing problems in many river pools. want. My weapon for this problem is a fork.” “I love the river. I love the sandbars. We picnic on them, barbecue on them, The owner of Inland Fisheries Processing and Marketing swim on them. I didn’t want to look at the garbage people leave, so I started Research Center, Parola has a history of both culinary success cleaning it up.” and marketing unusual products. He’s launched culinary For Mark McGrew, volunteer work at the Corps-run Saylorville Lake reser- campaigns for Louisiana alligator meat and even the rat-like voir was a literal lifesaver. nutria. He launched the Asian carp plan when two jumped He first volunteered in the spring of 2006 as a way to 4 Silverfin steaks Preheat oven to 325°. Heat oil and butter in into his boat as he fished for an alligator gar to take on a improve his health while recovering from a massive heart 2 ounces each: raspberries, an oven-proof skillet until very hot. Place filming of a Food Network special. “This fish,” he noted, “sure attack and waiting for a possible heart transplant. He’s blueberries, seedless grapes seasoned Silverfin steaks in skillet and jumped in the wrong boat.” since logged 1,110 volunteer hours, most days arriving at 2 tablespoons pecan oil brown both sides. Add white wine, lemon He took it straight to the kitchen, cooked it up and says it’s dawn to get his day’s work assignment—usually involving 2 ounces unsalted butter and orange juice. Bring to a boil. Add fresh one of the best fish he’s ever tasted, better even than y sible y. the operation of heavy machinery to help with reforesta- Mark McGrew Want to volunteer? Go to the Corps’ volunteer clearing- 2 tablespoons heavy cream berries. Transfer to oven and bake for 12 or . While its tiny bones make preparation labor inten- tion or cultivation and planting of deer food plots. house to apply for work as a visitor center host, park and trail 3 ounces white wine minutes at 325°. Serve topped with sauce sive, it’s also devoid of contaminants like mercury, high like When too ill to work, he says, staff would “welcome me back with open arms.” maintenance worker, water safety program presenter, fish and 1 lemon, juiced and berries. in healthy Omega 3’s —and plentiful. He was at work when word came that his transplant list number came up; two wildlife habitat restorer, or more, within any of the 2,500 recreation

2 oranges, juiced “This fish is incredible,” he said. “I just need to convince the erfin: dish weeks after he left Mayo clinic with a new heart, he was back on the job. areas run by the Corps of Engineers. The Army Corps of Engineers v seasoning to taste guys at Congress to let me make a presentation. Thirty min- “What I get out of volunteering at Saylorville is quite simple,” he said. “I get to is the steward of some 12 million acres of public lands and waters utes of time, and I guarantee you they’re going to be blown feel like a contributing man again, but I still have time for when I need to be sick.” at 400 lake and river projects in 43 states. All run in part through Find more silverfin recipes at chefphilippe.com away. I want to cook for (carp czar) John Goss.” —K.S. In part, I fought all those years for life because I felt like I would miss out on volunteers. lrn.usace.army.mil/volunteer/ —K.S.

arola and sil the magic of Saylorville if I hadn’t made it.” p

4 ourmississippi.org 5 Racing the From the Project Manager Floodspeak 101 100-year flood: clock to rebuild Jamie McVicker The area has a 1 percent National project manager, stimulus-funded national periodic levee (1 in 100) or greater New Orleans inspection program; levee safety program manager, St. Louis District. probability of occurring. 500-year flood: McVicker headed up the recent inspection of 4,800 miles of levees nationwide, made pos- An area has a 0.2 per- sible through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. These and all routine cent chance (1 in 500) of levee inspections have become more rigorous as a result of the National Levee Safety Act a flood every year. of 2007. That act provided a new checklist and framework for the inventory and inspec- tion of levees—embankments raised to prevent a river from overflowing—and a prime Flash flood: means of flood protection across the country. The aim: development of a comprehensive Short-term flooding national database for tracking levee conditions and risk so that funding can go to those caused by heavy rainfall with the highest potential risk and consequence. in a short period of time Towering cranes fill the skyline in the New (6 hours or less), or a Orleans’ St. Bernard parish, lifting concrete buckets and driv- dam failure. ing steel piles while—in Corps districts up and down the river Q: When did the work begin? designed to in the next flood event. Q. How prepared do the levees look Flood: and across much of the nation—special-made clocks count A: Routine inspections have been going If there are a number of unacceptable for potential spring flooding? Longest term flooding down to zero. on for a number of years. It’s really just items, or if one more unacceptable A: A lot is inconclusive right now. The over several days due to By midnight June 1, the official start of the 2011 hurri- More than 100 cranes fill the skyline of the St. Bernard parish in New Orleans as crews rush to complete become more formalized. A lot of this rating would prevent the system from Memphis District did deliver some rainfall over an extended cane season, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers intends to have construction of 14-foot concrete walls atop existing levees to protect against potential hurricane force waves. is post-hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The performing as designed—or if one of unacceptable ratings for a few of their time period, snow melt met its goal and completed construction on the best hurricane stimulus-funded inspections started in the deficiencies noted in a past inspec- levee systems. In St. Louis, we had some or ice jams. storm protection system in the city’s history. But a constant reminder of the tive way time has been saved, said Technical Manager Tom Novak, as teams of the 2009 time frame, and a lot of them tion was not corrected within the time minimally acceptable ratings. Most are urgency of the task—the Corps’ top domestic priority—is evident in the clocks crews construct 13-14 foot high concrete walls atop existing 20-foot levees to are ongoing now. All will be complete by frame we set—there’s the potential for for encroachment and closure structures Flood watch: stationed around the region, counting down days, hours, minutes and seconds better protect against pounding hurricane force waves. the end of this fiscal year in September. an overall unacceptable system rating. that have deteriorated or ineffective Issued when flooding is “To Mission Complete.” The project is part of a new 350-mile system of levees and floodwalls under animal control programs. possible, but not immi- One countdown clock is stationed on a wall as far north as St. Paul, Minn. construction. When completed, the system will fully protect the city against at Q: What are you finding? Q: What’s the consequence of an nent or occurring. Members of that Corps district have helped take a role in the construction of least a 100-year storm, or that with a one percent chance of occurring in any A: What we’re finding is very, consistent unacceptable rating? Q. What do you hope comes out of Flood warning: a 23-mile concrete wall that includes two navigable sector gates, two highway given year— the city’s best level of protection in its history. deficiencies across the United States, A: There is a likelihood they’d become all of this? Issued when flooding is gates and one railroad gate. The end product is so massive it’s been dubbed by While senior program managers in New Orleans retain overall responsibility especially with vegetation and encroach- inactive in our PL 84-99 rehabilitation A. The overall goal, in my opinion, is imminent or occurring. some the “Great Wall of Louisiana.” for the task, technical management duties have been spread out among other ment. We have current policy that and inspection program. What that an awareness of what the risks are and Flash flood warning: The St. Paul District has had as many as 70 team members work on the hur- divisions and district with specific technical expertise. shows that within the cross-section of means is in the event there is damage awareness by the general population Issued when flooding is ricane protection system since Hurricane Katrina overtook the levee system of The St. Louis District, for example, has worked on storm protection systems in the levee, there are certain boundaries from a flood to the levee system, the that certain infrastructure does need in progress or will occur New Orleans 5 1/2 years ago, flooding most of the city. Because of the urgency Metro New Orleans and Terrebonne Parish. Rock Island’s New Orleans Support that need a vegetation-free zone. We’re federal government will not be able to attention. It’s just a matter of communi- within six hours. of providing protection, the Corps is working to complete what typically would Team was assigned to the Protection and Restoration Office, the office in charge concerned not only with the integrity come in and assist a local sponsor with cating the risk that is there, and there’s take 15–20 years in just 36 months here in just the St. Bernard parish. Involv- of floodgate and pump station projects, along with levee and floodwall projects of the levee but also accessibility during those repairs. It’s a very difficult situa- always a risk when you live or work be- Floodplain: ing contractors as early collaborators with project design teams is one innova- on the East Bank in Orleans, Jefferson and Plaquemines Parishes.—K.S. flood-fighting. You don’t want a lot of tion for them to be in because a lot of hind a levee, regardless of the integrity Strip of relatively flat branches and trees hanging over the these levee/drainage districts don’t have of that system. and normally dry land area when you’re bringing vehicles in to the money to be able to fix a levee if it alongside a stream, river ‘Wet cycle’ upping flood risk, studies show fight a flood. We’ve also got animal bur- did breach. Q. After the risk is identified, or lake that is covered by Recent flow studies across the Upper Mississippi River watershed have led to similar conclu- row situations…. Pump station deficien- then what? water during a flood. sions—findings that will come as no surprise to river dwellers weary of hauling sandbags or cies are huge. Q: How many levees are we talking A. We’re going to have a better picture Flood of record: cleaning up after the latest flood event. Wet weather cycles, land use changes and factors re- about? of what the state of our infrastructure is Highest observed river lated to climate change, perhaps not fully understood, have led to higher river flows and more Q: How are levees rated? A: There are more than 2,000 systems in and plan on very transparent communi- stage at a given site. frequent flooding. A: Acceptable is saying all the items the nation, about 14,700 miles of levees cation with sponsors, the general public Floodway: The studies are part of a flood risk management program of the Corps of Engineers, one seeking and components are acceptable. It’s within the Corps of Engineers portfolio. and congressional partners. We’ll let The area of the flood- to minimize future flood risk rather than deal with a disaster post-flood. This involves making as very hard for a levee system to get an But across the country, there are 100,000- them know what safety concerns have plain where water is like- accurate of calculations as possible of what flood protection measures are needed, officials say. acceptable rating. If rated minimally plus miles of levees, some of those owned been found for a given levee system to ly to be the deepest and On the Red River of the North, for example, a Corps study showed the flow rate average in acceptable, one or more items are rated and operated by other agencies. set the groundwork for at least knowing moving the most quickly. the last 50 years has more than doubled over the prior half century cycle, said Aaron Snyder, minimally unacceptable or unacceptable what we have to deal with. This is prob- This area should be kept project management branch chief for the St. Paul District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. but there’s a determination that unac- ably the most painful step, but it’s criti- free of obstructions to Flows have risen from 3,400 cubic feet a second in 1950 to 8,000 cubic feet per second today. ceptable items are not going to prevent cal. You can’t move to correct something allow floodwaters to In a nutshell, a massive 2009 flood that was previously thought to be a 125-year event would the system from operating as it was if you don’t know what the problem is. move downstream. now be categorized more as a 50-year flood event. “If we’d done a study in 1950, we’d have said, you don’t need a big diversion project, you Levee: don’t have that large of a problem,” Snyder said. “Now, what the data shows is there is more My Mississippi A man-made structure, Aerial view of the Des Moines River water in the system than there was before and we are in a wet cycle. This cycle is clearly based Kempton Baldridge, River Chaplain, 55, Paducah, Ky. usually an earthen em-

during the 2008 flood in Des Moines, Iowa. on the recent large peaks on the river and shows that there is a significant threat to the metro- ric t. bankment often rein- t politan area which includes more than 200,000 people.” I’m one of nine merchant marine chaplains in the U.S., and work on what the Coast forced with soil cement, Guard calls the “Western rivers”—the Mississippi, the Ohio, and many others. We have designed to contain or Tributary flows increasing too over 2,200 miles of river and a potential congregation of 60,000 professional mari- divert the flow of water. Similar findings came from studies done on two Mississippi River tributaries in Iowa—the Des Moines River and the Iowa River. ners. They lead unusual, demanding lives, with some risk and a lot of sacrifice. Source: National Weath- The Des Moines River study, completed and presented to city, county and state officials earlier this year, focused on flows at I spend most of my time on the water, but my drop-everything mandate is re- er Service Corps reservoirs and downtown Des Moines. sponding to casualties. When somebody doesn’t wake up at 5 o’clock for watch, that’s devastating to a crew. I get to their boat as fast as I can. I go to the funeral. And “History tends to be interpreted by absence. If you’ve never seen a flood above a certain height, you tend of think it can’t happen,” . flood : rock island dis Do you live behind a levee? weeks later, I might ride with the crew up and down the river. They’re still suffering. said Kevin Landwehr, chief of the Hydrology and Hydraulics Branch of the Corps’ Rock Island District. “After the 1993 flood, the ques- Find helpful hints at: What I do is a ministry of presence. On a six-hour watch, they’ll ask about some- tion quickly became, ‘was that a once in a lifetime event or is this something we are likely to see again and need to plan for?’” mvd.usace.army.mil/docs/ For more information thing they heard was in the Bible, or they want to talk about the war, or racism, or ask When another major flood followed in 2008, people suspected the flood frequency was greater than previous data suggested and the SoYouLiveBehindLevee.pdf

on the Des Moines River study was initiated. The study showed that at one downtown Des Moines location, what was previously thought to be a 200-year flood walsdorf om my opinion of women working. They struggle with marital issues. And some have me study, go to mvr.usace. (with a 0.5 percent chance of occurring in any given year), is actually a 100-year flood with a 1 percent annual chance of occurrence. on speed-dial, if they can’t reach their AA sponsors. army.mil/PublicAffairs Having more precise data helps communities better understand and ultimately manage their flood risk, Landwehr said. In this I’m an Episcopal priest, but I find my greatest joy affirming guys in their own tradi- Office/DMRRFFS/ case, it’s being used to help evaluate whether existing or proposed levee systems and flood risk management projects provide tions. They call me Chap or Chappie, like a character in a John Wayne movie. That’s DMRRFFS-Findings.htm adequate protection levels.—K.S. fine with me. new orleans : t

6 ourmississippi.org 7 On the trail of spring wildflowers Spring along the Mississippi brings bright budding trees and a gauzy blanket of delicate color as wildflowers appear in valleys and meadows. As one species blooms and fades, another takes its place, creating a succession of beauty throughout the sea- son. An added bonus is that as you travel north along the Mississippi River, you can experience the first blooming of species again and again, as spring comes a little later with each passing mile. Spring wildflowers are especially plentiful in the following three habitat types, found in abundance up and down the river and its watershed. —L.E.

1 2 3 4 5 6 s Woodlands Prairies Wetlands Botanists term the first flowers of spring On the prairie, the sequence of spring wild- You may get a little muddy searching for ephemerals, a reference to the fact they must flowers tends to begin later and move more these flowers, but put your boots on and . bloom, be pollinated and make seeds before slowly than in woodlands. Early in the season, head across country, for the effort is worth it. tree leaves block much of the sunlight from look for prairie smoke, prairie phlox, pussy- In addition to the flowers listed here, marshy the forest floor. But what they lack in longev- toes, wild strawberry, and yellow star grass. areas come late spring may be home to wild : ed gaillard we r hab i tat ity, early bloomers make up for in loveliness. But these are true highlights. iris, cardinal flowers, swamp milkweed, and o white turtlehead. fl . Tanager

Dutchman’s breeches (1) Pasque flowers (3) Marsh marigolds (5) An early bloomer, it’s easy to remember this The first to appear in spring, these grow from Sometimes called a cowslip, these resemble The 5 showiest songbirds of spring . flower’s name once you see how it resembles a brownish crown of leaves and are identified a giant buttercup and favor marshes and the The songbird seems to know exactly what’s needed after a long, gray Midwestern winter: a splash of color. Several of the little pairs of pants hanging on a slender by their hairy, gray-green stems and single sides of streams. Their leaves are a glossy, stalk. Generally white and sometimes tinged large flower that is blue, purple, or white, with dark green. world’s most beautiful tanagers, warblers and buntings travel up the Mississippi River come spring, staking out prime breed- with pink, it’s closely related to the common a yellow-orange center. : ed gaillard ing ground, or just making some quick stopovers en route to summer homes in Canada. These true snowbirds winter in Cen- garden flower bleeding heart. Pond lilies (6) tral and South America and Mexico, with their return home a showy, north-bound beauty pageant. Shooting stars (4) Later in spring, these begin to appear on oo k f or

Columbines (2) Among the prettiest of all flowers, the name bodies of still or slow-moving water. Their . Tanager o l Blooming mid-spring, these are common derives from the way their pinkish, star- large leaves are attached to a long stalk that on sloping hills. It resembles a small shrub, shaped flowers bend downward, looking like grows in the muddy bottom of the water and

growing to heights of two feet or more, with a shooting meteor. their yellow flowers have thick petals. Over v ia, small wikimedia commons : mdf oriole dangling red-and-yellow flowers divided into time, they can form huge colonies. what t what five tubes or compartments (those tubes are so long that only hummingbirds, moths, and . warbler

butterflies are able to reach the nectar). ling ri p

Frontenac State Park Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge ing : B ill St t Hike the trails at Frontenac State Park near Prairie wildflowers line portions of the Sam Slip on your waders and visit the Port Louisa Blackburnian Warbler Rose-breasted Indigo Bunting Scarlet Tanager Baltimore Oriole Red Wing, Minnesota. The park also offers Vadalabene Bike Trail, which runs for 20 miles National Wildlife Refuge near Wapello, Iowa. v ia, small wikimedia commons : mdf oriole Most easily identified by Grosbeak With their brilliant blue These stunning birds The brilliant orange-and- great viewing of migrating birds that use the parallel to the Great River Road from Pere Mar- The refuge includes more than 8,000 acres their orange blaze at the Bold red, black, and feathers, these five- generally stay high in the black plumage of this Mississippi River as a flyway. quette State Park to the city of Alton in Illinois. of marshes, backwaters, and flood plain. bun , indigo

. warbler throat, these five-inch- white markings make inch-long birds are the trees but may forage on oriole make it a favorite long birds like to hang these eight-inch-long azure jewels of spring. the ground during the of many birders. The dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/frontenac visitalton.com fws.gov/midwest/portlouisa ling around the tops of trees birds easy to identify They prefer roadside spring migration. They eight-inch-long bird can ri p 651-345-3401 800-258-6645 319-523-6982 , grosbeak and especially favor (watch for the rosy tri- and woodland edges to are easy to identify with often be seen in parks

G oo d v i ew ing bet spruce and hemlocks. angle on their breasts). deep forest, and in the their bright red bodies because of its preference Listen for: A series of The birds typically spend spring, migrating flocks punctuated by black for shade trees next to ing : B ill St t thin, very high notes. their time amid tree of indigo buntings may wings. open areas. Find a flower festival . large oriole foliage but occasion- sometimes be seen on Listen for: A song that’s Listen for: A series of Wildflower fun ally feed on the ground. the ground. been compared to a whistles, sometimes with Woodland Wildflower Walk Effigy Mounds National Monument near Marquette, Iowa April 22, 10 a.m. nps.gov/efmo or 563-873-3491 For more

bun , indigo Listen for: A series of Listen for: A series of robin with a sore throat, prominent harsh or raspy information— Bluebell Festival Carley State Park and the town of Plainview, Minnesota May 6–8 plainviewcvb.com whistled phrases, simi- warbling, musical tones, a series of short, rising notes. including recordings lar to a robin but more often sung in paired and falling notes. Mother’s Day Flower Hike Holland Sand Prairie near Holmen, Wisconsin May 7, 10 a.m. mississippivalleyconservancy.org or of these songs—see: varied and melodic. notes. 608-784-3606, ext. 1 , grosbeak allaboutbirds.org Nature through the birds.cornell.edu Five Senses Mississippi River Visitors Center, Rock Island, Ill. May 15, 2–3 p.m. missriver.org or 309-794-5338 birds.audubon.org Wildflower Walk Saylorville Lake Visitor Center near Des Moines, Iowa. May 7, 2 p.m. 515-964-0672 flowers v ia wikimedia commons large oriole

8 ourmississippi.org 9 Our Mississippi Kids Restoration focus expands to Lower Mississippi Alien invasion? The Nature Conservancy is turning the efforts of its Great Rivers Project to the heavily leveed Around the world, plants, animals, fungi, and other life forms are moving into places where they don’t belong, most by accident—hidden in swamps and bayous of the Lower Mississippi River, looking toward a partnership effort with the U.S. the crevice of a shoe or piece of firewood, or clinging to an oceangoing ship. The result can mean big trouble for wildlife, forests and people. Army Corps of Engineers and others to help restore more balance among the river’s many uses. About 7,000 invasive species larger than microorganisms have come to the U.S., and roughly 10 percent cause problems. The U.S. now spends The organization is looking for cost-share partners to help further advance a Corps study, com- more than $130 billion dollars a year to battle the problem. source: sciencenewsforkids.org pleted in January 2010 by the Memphis District, that looked at restoration needs on nearly 1,000 river miles between Cairo, Ill. to just south of New Orleans. This area has lost nearly 80 percent of its original forested wetlands, some 1,600 lakes and 145 side channels, but it remains a floodplain I P P I S S I S S I M G ecosystem larger than the Florida Everglades. Find the words related to The Corps study established federal interest in looking at potential restoration needs on some V N I N V A S I V E C E invasive species. Words can 3 million acres of the lower river, says Gretchen Benjamin, Program Director, Large Rivers, for The be found forward, backward, Nature Conservancy’s Great Rivers Partnership. The next step would further define current condi- up, down, or diagonal. tions, identify resource issues and restoration alternatives and also look at ways to provide more C G A C A R P P L K P P recreational access in the region, she said. G N P Z A T H R E A T E Among other things, the study would look at improving habitat for important and endangered Pest Boating species like the pallid , least tern, piping plover and a native mussel called the pocket- The Atchafalaya Basin, the largest swamp in N I E M P N R N M V D O book—all present in the study region. the United States, is part of a Lower Mississippi Threat Canoe One key partner in the effort would be the Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee, a River watershed area targeted for restoration I T S L Q S O A S X O P collection of state agencies working with the Fish and Wildlife Service and now in formal partnership through a partnership between The Nature Invasive Grazing with the Corps. That group has defined some 150 side channels, Benjamin said, that could be recon- Conservancy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and nected to the main stem of the Mississippi as a way to help restore natural cycles that could both other organizations. Z A T I A L I E N A O L provide more wildlife habitat and also more naturally redistribute sediment and potentially reduce the Mussels Cattle nitrogen and phosphorus loading contributing to Gulf hypoxia, Benjamin said. A O Z A R E V I R Z W E “It’s a different river south of Cairo, but we could be doing some positive things for the lower river like we have Carp Birding been able to for the past 20-some years on the upper river,” she said. “It’s exciting, it’s important to do, and I think R B C N L S R P V P E Q it’s possible to balance the different uses of the river. That’s really all we’re looking for is that balance.” Alien Spring G R A S I S P E B O R W Snail Firewood Z E T P Q U N E T E I A My Mississippi Did you Know? Water Forest Austin Janes, 13, and Salwa Mikhail, 14 The first bridge across the X R T R G M M O C A F X Tom and Becky for Hannibal, Mo. Chamber of Mississippi People Commerce Mississippi River was built in 1855. O A L I U T R I U I W Z It spanned the river in River Species In its 55th year, the Tom and Becky Program is once again I Z E N F O R E S T E P appraising 7th graders competing to become young Minneapolis where the current ambassadors for Mark Twain’s riverside hometown. It’s Hennepin Avenue Bridge is located. C P V G N I D R I B A S a no-pay job, but the winners, who dress as Tom Sawyer and his girlfriend Becky Thatcher, get lots of attention as they greet dignitaries and tourists, appear in parades and at ribbon-cuttings and have their spirit of adventure captured in countless photos. A 3-D rendering of the The Bridge new bridge in St. Louis Book ‘em! Austin: “My Mom was a Becky 25 years ago and encouraged me to try out, telling With this “Nab the Aquatic Invader” activity, you’ll meet dan- me how much fun she had with it, and that it made her grow up a little and really Construction is underway on a new Mis- think about the world. You have to give a brief speech, then semi-finalists are picked sissippi River bridge, a 1,500-foot cable- gerous critters like Gabby “the lowlife” Round Goby and Zeke who have to go all around town to study up for a 110-question test—everything stayed structure (more than four football “the prowler” zebra mussel. Kids of all ages will also learn how about Hannibal, and Mark Twain, and the Mississippi. Then it’s narrowed down to fields in length) that will span the river at to help protect the Mississippi River and Great Lakes while five boys and five girls. When I was picked as the official Tom, on the third of July, it St. Louis, Mo. The project also includes ap- was a shocker. proaches on both the Illinois and Missouri conducting background checks and working to book the wily “Us Toms and Beckys make about 300 appearances each year. We’ll be on Main sides to get traffic to the bridge. suspects. Answering a quiz on their source and spread is key to Street in costume and people will ask, ‘Where’s the nearest bathroom?’ Or ‘We’re in Crews have recently completed founda- an arrest. Have a question? The site also lets you ask an expert. Hannibal for the weekend. What should we do?’ We have to know all of that. This year tions for the main span of the bridge along with coffer dams we even met Prince Albert of Monaco. on both sides of the river. This massive undertaking will, iiseagrant.org/NabInvader/great_lakes.html “The worst part is the cold. My pants only go down to my knees, and my shirt isn’t very when completed, require 14.8 million pounds of girders, thick. Plus the moccasins I wear, you can feel every little rock. But I’ve met people from all equivalent to the weight of 935 elephants, according to the over, from Russia and China and and I’ve learned how important Hannibal and the bridge construction website. The cable-stayed portion of the Mississippi are in history.” bridge will additionally require 8 million pounds of reinforc- ing steel, equivalent to the weight of 363 school buses. Salwa: “Me and my mom, we had some disagreements about my costume. She

y. Total construction costs are estimated at $640 million, but wanted a lot more bows, but I said, ‘Simpler is better.’” the bridge, when completed, will be the third longest cable- anc “I didn’t know Austin before this but we’ve gotten to be really good friends. They stayed bridge in the U.S. Hitching a ride in ship ballast say the Toms usually outgrow the Beckys by the end of the year, but that doesn’t Tour it: The Mississippi River Bridge team is offering public seem to be working this time. When we re-enact Tom and Becky’s engagement, we tours of the main span construction process. Tours are held People like to hop ocean-going ships for the fun of the ocean cruise. But plenty of other organisms rub cheeks a little and I’ve got to bend down to reach him. the last Friday of each month at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Signed t ure conser v are also traveling via ship, through what’s known as a ship’s ballast water. Modern ships use ballast “I’ve actually read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer twice — once in third grade on releases, available on the website, and reservations, are re- th water to keep balanced in rough seas and during loading and unloading. The ship often takes in water he na my own, then again in 7 grade, when it’s required reading here in Hannibal. What’s quired. 314-453-1808 in one port then dumps it later, perhaps a half a world away. That process moves millions of living i : t most interesting to me, and which people might not know, is that Mark Twain wasn’t Chart the progress: Go to newriverbridge.org to learn organisms, things like tiny fish, mollusks and micro-algae, into an unfamiliar environment, disrupting just a writer. He was an inventor and a steamboat pilot and he traveled and had chil- more and link to construction webcams, or follow via the new food chain, fouling beaches and doing countless other damages. Mostly due to transport by dren and did lots more. Facebook: facebook.com/NewMississippiRiverBridge. ballast water, a new non-native species is discovered on average once every 28 weeks. “I’ve lived by the river for the past seven years, and when anyone visits we take a river boat ride. To me, the Mississippi is about family.”—S.A. ower mississi pp L

10 What’s your Mississippi? Email responses to: [email protected] ourmississippi.org 11 PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Greenville, mi permit no. 338

News Briefs Collaboration offered for My Mississippi Tim Mason, 60, McGregor, Iowa river planning projects Amateur historian and shantyboat man Does your city have a need to better connect a river to downtown, protect against flooding or another river-related needs for which it could use some There’s not a time from my childhood when I was not planning help? on or in what we called “the Riv.” I was the youngest Three community projects within the Upper boy of 10, in the little town of Marquette, Iowa, river Mississippi River watershed will be selected to serve mile 634.5. We had a small wooden houseboat my as topics for a trip of planning charrettes, or intensive parents christened Maggie (PICTURED), and we spent collaborative planning sessions, at the 2011 Upper many lazy summer days and nights aboard. We went Mississippi River Conference Sept. 21–23. swimming, fishing, gigging for frogs and playing on the Visit the conference website at riveraction.org/ islands while our mom . umrc2011 to apply for selection. Also featured on the My wife Sara and I got our own houseboat about five site are results from last year’s planning sessions. years ago. We call it Driftless, and there’s no finer on the Upper Mississippi. Last summer I added the word “Shantyboat” above its name. My wife and I manage to Race to the Great Outdoors spend almost 60 nights a year on board, away from our America’s Great Outdoors Initiative—a presidential slip. We’re nearly self-sufficient, with solar panels and initiative designed to connect people to nature as part everything we need, and a Honda 50-horsepower, four- of a 21st-century conservation and recreation agenda— stroke motor that seems to almost make its own gaso- continues at the Corps-run Riverlands Migratory line. We fly pirate flags and Tibetan prayer flags and play Bird Sanctuary in West Alton, Mo., with an April 30 river music. Now my three grandkids are growing up adventure race and campout. High school–aged swimming and fishing off Papa’s houseboat, and always teams of four can sign up to try their hand at rock begging me for another story from my own childhood. climbing, canoeing, starting a campfire, navigating via Over the years I’ve collected photographs, newspaper articles, books, poetry, oral GPS and more. The free event includes race activities, histories, and even music about shantyboats. A 1916 New York Times article claimed dinner and , but participants must provide there were more than 50,000 river people living in the Mississippi basin on those their own camping gear for the race-ending concert crudely-built shantyboats, tying up wherever, on banks that were still undeveloped and campout. and unclaimed. For more information, call 618-462-6979 or download Some families lived on them for decades or generations. They were a subculture forms at mtrf.org. Learn of other ways to connect at that was not very recognized by society at the time. The kids got no formal educa- americasgreatoutdoors.gov. tion, but at the same time they realized the beauty of the river, and the natural world around them. Why don’t people live like that anymore?

Send story ideas to [email protected]

Questions or comments: Mailing list changes: Contributors this issue: U.S.A.C.E. regional outreach specialists U.S.A.C.E. regional outreach specialists Editor/Lead Writer Contributing Writers Kevin Bluhm, St. Paul, 651-290-5247 Marsha Dolan, [email protected] Kim Schneider Susan Ager Angela Freyermuth, Rock Island, 309-794-5341 Designer Lori Erickson Kristin Kosterman, St. Paul, 651-290-5737 To read online: Diane Kolak Hilary Markin Hilary Markin, Rock Island, 309-794-5730 ourmississippi.org Tim Mason Laurie Farmer, St. Louis, 314-331-8479 Click “Subscribe here” to subscribe via email. Kimberly Rea, West Alton, 636-899-0050 This newsletter is a quarterly update of ongoing efforts in the Upper Mississippi River Basin and does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Army.